Louisiana State freshman Brett Laxton threw the pitches Wichita State was looking for in the College World Series championship game.
The Shockers just couldn't hit them."I threw about 80 percent fastballs," said Laxton, who pitched a three-hitter and struck out a championship game record 16 as LSU romped to an 8-0 victory Saturday.
Laxton threw the first three-hitter in the NCAA title game since 1957. His shutout also was the first complete-game effort in the championship since 1961.
Laxton (12-1) didn't allow a runner past second base in pitching the Tigers (53-17-1) to their second championship in three years. LSU beat the Shockers 6-3 to win the title in 1991.
A right-hander, Laxton fanned Darren Dreifort leading off the eighth to tie the record of 15 strikeouts, set by Tom Burgess of Arizona State against Houston in 1967. He got the record with a called third strike on pinch hitter Tony Mills for the second out in the ninth.
"Laxton was beyond my vision," Tigers coach Skip Bertman said. "No one made it to third base. We were in control."
It was only the third three-hitter and complete game shutout in title game history. The last three-hitter was by Cal Emery of Penn State in a 1-0 loss to California in 1957, and the last shutout was by Jim Withers of Southern Cal against Oklahoma State (1-0) in 1961.
Wichita State (58-17) just couldn't solve Laxton. The Shockers, in their fourth championship game in four trips to Omaha, managed only a single in the third and two in the sixth, when Laxton responded by striking out the side.
The Shockers' only title came in 1989.
Tournament most valuable player Todd Walker and center fielder Armondo Rios provided all the offense Laxton needed early in the game. Walker hit his third homer of the tournament and 22nd of the season with one on in the first.